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choneofakind · March 3rd, 2018, 10:40 AM

Looks good!

Running two headlights is cool and all, (and modulators are great for visibility when used sparingly and intentionally) but remember that one side is designed as a high beam and the other side is designed as a low beam.

This means that the beam pattern they project is very different on each side. Low beam is a wide flat flood light aimed down ~2.5" at 25'. High beam is a long distance spot light aimed more straight ahead. By modulating the high beam, you're knowingly running the high beam, which puts light in oncoming traffic's eyes. If the modulator runs at a maximum of a lower voltage, that's good and acceptable (see cars that run high beams at low voltage as DRL's) but from your description, this unit does not do that.

I'm not being critical because this is a great mod for being visible, but remember that while some people will respond positively to a visible motorcyclist, some people will respond poorly to being high beamed. Keep this in mind with how you use the modulator.

Anecdotal example; I have a headlight for my bicycle. It will run low power, medium power, or full power constantly on. It also has a mode where it flashes full power about 2x per second. At night I typically use low power around town on roads that have lots of lighting, medium power around roads with occasional lighting, and high power on rural or very dark roads. I use the flash function when the weather is poor and I want to be seen (fog, rain, dawn/dusk, etc) but don't need to light my own path. When I use the flash mode, I've had people respond in 1 of 3 ways; they treat me like a vehicle, they high beam me back, or they turn around and yell at me. (I live in rural ohio with some seriously intolerant people).

Is it possible to modulate just the low beam to gain visibility without being annoying to traffic with the high beam? I feel like that would reduce the odds of getting angry drivers.

March 3rd, 2018, 10:40 AM	#2
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	Looks good! Running two headlights is cool and all, (and modulators are great for visibility when used sparingly and intentionally) but remember that one side is designed as a high beam and the other side is designed as a low beam. This means that the beam pattern they project is very different on each side. Low beam is a wide flat flood light aimed down ~2.5" at 25'. High beam is a long distance spot light aimed more straight ahead. By modulating the high beam, you're knowingly running the high beam, which puts light in oncoming traffic's eyes. If the modulator runs at a maximum of a lower voltage, that's good and acceptable (see cars that run high beams at low voltage as DRL's) but from your description, this unit does not do that. I'm not being critical because this is a great mod for being visible, but remember that while some people will respond positively to a visible motorcyclist, some people will respond poorly to being high beamed. Keep this in mind with how you use the modulator. Anecdotal example; I have a headlight for my bicycle. It will run low power, medium power, or full power constantly on. It also has a mode where it flashes full power about 2x per second. At night I typically use low power around town on roads that have lots of lighting, medium power around roads with occasional lighting, and high power on rural or very dark roads. I use the flash function when the weather is poor and I want to be seen (fog, rain, dawn/dusk, etc) but don't need to light my own path. When I use the flash mode, I've had people respond in 1 of 3 ways; they treat me like a vehicle, they high beam me back, or they turn around and yell at me. (I live in rural ohio with some seriously intolerant people). Is it possible to modulate just the low beam to gain visibility without being annoying to traffic with the high beam? I feel like that would reduce the odds of getting angry drivers.